The Masons
by Meowth22
Summary: An outline of my upcoming series focusing on Spinner and his family. Will feature both characters from JH and H-and a lot will be my own OC's. The series will start with 'The New Generation' and continue into 'Next Class'. [A rough draft, so character names and personalities could wind up different as the story develops]
1. Synopses

*The titles might be changed when the time comes for the story to be made.

1\. Prequel Trilogy (ie. before TNG starts)

-Michael: 19 y/o

-Stephen: 15 y/o

-Reginald: 7 y/o

-Henry: 5 y/o

* **The Masons of Degrassi Street** : A family in Toronto confronts adversity as the eldest son falls into a life of crime. A prequel following the older generation (particularly the brothers, Michael, Stephen, Reginald, and Henry). Set around the time frame of the original Kids of Degrassi Street, starting in 1979 and ending in 1986.

* **The Masons: High School** : As some of the next generation of Masons become accustomed to parenthood, the youngest brother, Hank, enters in high school. Will encapsulate events from the Junior High and High series. Will begin in 1987 (the year before the school year of Seasons 1-2 of High) and end in 1992 (the year of School's Out).

* **The Masons: School's Out** : Still reeling from a tragic death in the family, the Masons move forward to the end of the millennium as their family grows ever more, Starts in 1992 and ends in 2001.

*Will follow a more direct timeline than the series.

**The Next Generation:

1\. **Year One** (Season 1/school year of 2001-02): After his dad, stepmom, and younger half-siblings have moved to his town, Tommy Mason, a shy young boy, begins his first year at Degrassi, where he is quickly taken under the wing of his older cousin, 'Spinner'. All the while, a past tragedy looms large over their family.

2\. **Year Two** (Season 2/school year of 2002-03): Both of the Mason boys find their plans for the new school year sunk when the high school closes suddenly. Follow them as they wade through all the drama in this increasingly crowded place of learning.

3\. **Year Three** (Season 3/school year of 2003-04): Tommy is entering high school years when he crosses paths with Jay Hogart, a crude, yet oddly charming, delinquent. When he accidentally overhears his father have a conversation with Jay, he is left to wonder what connection this thug has to the family.

4\. **Year Four** (Season 4/school year of 2004-05): Rick Murray comes back to Degrassi, claiming to have changed, but none of the student body is too welcoming. Tommy watches as this hostility spirals into a vicious cycle of bullying, blaming, and blackmail, which threatens to tear his family (and community) apart.

5\. **Year Five** (Season 5/school year of 2005-06): Spinner and Tommy are still reeling from the backlash that ensued in the prior year that, not only turned them into pariahs, but left them at each other's throats. Now, they both to have a new start-a second chance to make things right-and, in the wake of a family tragedy, find the strength to reconcile with each other.

6\. **Year Six** (Seasons 6 & 7/school year of 2006-07): a brawl breaking out at a basketball game between Degrassi and Lakehurst sparks a 'war' between the schools…with the possibility it might turn deadly for some students. This is especially troubling for the Masons-who have members on both sides.

7\. **Year Seven** (Seasons 8 and 9/school year of 2007-08): Tommy's hard work have finally led him to this-senior year! But as one Mason is exiting the doors of Degrassi, another steps through them for the first time as his little sister Leanna is now a freshman, eager to be under the wing of her brother's girlfriend, school queen bee, Holly J. Sinclair.

**Degrassi

1\. **Year Eight** (Seasons 10 & 11B/school year of 2008-09): While Kendra goes off to college, Tommy stays behind in Toronto and has to figure out what to do with his life after graduating high school. And, with Kathleen joining the PTA, will they find Archie Simpson up to the task as principal-or will he be found lacking?

2\. **Year Nine** (Seasons 11B and 12/school year of 2009-10): The time has come for Dennis to enroll in Degrassi, alongside his childhood friend, Maya Matlin. Follow them (and his sister's own clique of friends) as they travail the year, which becomes particularly rough when the rowdy Toronto Ice Hounds enter the picture.

3\. **Year Ten** (Seasons 13 and 14/school year of 2010-11): It is Leanna's senior year and the whole school is abuzz about its latest attendant-TV star Zoe Rivas! Meanwhile, Dennis meets the wealthy Miles Hollingsworth and his-er…interesting family. Follow the Mason siblings as they decipher whether or not these new characters will be friend or foe.

**Next Class:

1\. **Year Eleven** (NC Seasons 1 and 2/school year of 2011-12): Dennis decides to enter student council by running for secretary. This position will allow him to speak on several issues facing the school this year, which might end up putting him at odds with close friends.

2\. **Year Twelve** (NC Seasons 3 and 4/school year of 2012-13): Degrassi is still reeling from the bus crash when it is decided that the school will accept Syrian refugees (from the civil war ongoing in that country) as students. Dennis is planning to spend his senior year drama free when he finds himself befriending one of the refugees: a quiet artist named Saad.

* **The Masons: The End** : An epilogue fic to Year Twelve, which follows the situations the Masons find themselves in in 2017.

*Will be the finale.


	2. Characters: Adults

*Rough draft: may be subject to change as the storyline develops

Adults:

-Ages by the starting point of the main series: 2000

The Mason Brothers: these four will be the main focus of the prequel trilogy and will still be a major factor in the main series.

- **Michael Hogart** , 40: (born in 1960

*Robin's son with her dalliance before meeting Warren; Stephen, Reginald, and Henry's older half brother; father to Jason 'Jay' Hogart.

*A career criminal, currently the secretary of the an outlaw motorcycle club involved in the city's drug trade.

**Estranged from his half brothers due to his life of crime, which has inevitably brought about clashes due to Reginald taking on a career in law enforcement. Due to this, he has had no major involvement in the lives of any of his nephews or nieces, though he is protective of them (and somewhat, his brothers) and will respond ruthlessly with any resources at his disposal when hearing they are in harms way.

*A single father, he struggles to keep his son, Jay (from the first out of two marriages so far), from following him into his life of crime.

***A cunning rogue with superb negotiation skills and quick reflexes and strategies.

- **Stephen Mason** , 36 (born in 1964)-graduates in class of 1984

*Father to Spinner and Kendra. Younger half-brother to Michael Hogart; older brother to Reginald and Henry.

**A working-class man who works hard and cares deeply for his family.

***A big believer in tough love, he is encouraging towards Kendra's academic dreams, but a stern disciplinarian towards his trouble-making son. However, he does not practice, nor condone others using, physical discipline on

****A habitual cigarette smoker, which will bring severe health problems.

***A paternal figure in his nephew, Tommy's life, even maintaining friendly ties to his ex-sister in law, Ida, after she divorced his brother. Part of his resentment towards Reginald involves his minimal involvement in the boy's life.

- **Reginald 'Reg/Reggie' Mason** , 28 (born in 1972)-graduates in class of 1990

*Father to Thomas, Leanna, and Dennis; husband to Melanie, and younger brother to Michael and Stephen; elder brother to Henry.

**Shortly after starting a career in law enforcement, he settled down and married a woman whom he had children, two twin boys, with. He would lose one of the twins to a drunk driver one fateful summer.

Soon afterwards, his wife divorced him and took custody of the surviving twin, Thomas. A while later, he would start a relationship with Melanie and married her after impregnating her.

***Generally a devoted father and husband, though he can come across as overbearing and overprotective at times.

****A dedicated member of the Toronto police. He moved his family to Hamilton to get them (and himself) away from Michael's corrupting influence but, when Hamilton's gang war proves too heated, has to return to his hometown.

***Has a distant relationship with Thomas, who lives in a different city than him.

- **Henry 'Hank' Mason** , 26 (born in 1974)-graduates in class of 1992

*The youngest brother; Kathleen's husband; Sarah's father.

*A troublemaker in his youth, he has since wizened up and become more responsible.

*Based on Joey's friend in the first episode of JH.

*Was a distant acquaintance to the main cast of JH/H (attending school around the same time as them). Became close to Kathleen when they started working together as activists against drunk driving, which was sparked by the death of Henry's nephew

***An officer in the Canadian Armed Forces. This will allow him to become a viewpoint character for Canada's involvement in the War in Afghanistan.

The Wives:

- **Miriam Klein-Mason** , 34

*Wife to Stephen, whom she met in college; mother to Spinner and Kendra. Devoted strongly to her family.

**Generally more relaxed than her husband is when it comes to discipline.

***A secular Jewish person, unlike her atheist husband and nonpracticing children

- **Ida Lucas** , 30-graduates in class of 1989

*Reginald's ex-wife and the mother of Tommy and Theodore.

***The marriage turned rocky, with the two beginning to separate as early as February, 1991.

***Finalized the divorce after Theodore's death, then took custody of Tommy.

***Though a loving mother to her son, she can be bitter when in the company of her ex-husband and his second wife.

*Is engaged to be married at the start of the main series.

- **Melanie Brodie-Mason** , 25-graduates in class of 1993

*I decided the stepmother should be a main female character on either JH or H, who didn't appear on The Next Generation to have room for the story. I chose Melanie because I felt she could relate the best to a child like Tommy (ie. how it feels to be the child of divorced parents).

**Her best friend, Kathleen Mead, will also have a role in the story.

*Babysat for the Masons when Thomas and Theodore were infants

*Married Reginald soon after graduating high school, being rushed by her pregnancy with Leanna.

***Has tension with Tommy's biological mother, Ida, who views her as a threat to her relationship with Tommy (somewhat fueled by Tommy also calling her 'Mom' at times).

***Has known the Mason family for years as a neighbor, even being the twins' babysitter when she was in high school.

****Of the couple, she is the more permissive parent-but she is willing to put her foot down if she feels her kids are putting themselves in danger.

- **Kathleen Mead-Mason** , 25-graduates in class of 1993

*Melanie's best friend; Henry's wife; mother to Sarah

**Works as a reporter on a local news channel. Though she envies her old classmate, Caitlin Ryan's success and hopes to make it big one day.

***Has strong conservative opinions, which often lead to disagreements with Melanie, but also willing to lend an ear to the kids when they come to her to ask for advice.

*Is somewhat distant and aloof towards most of the children, but still cares about them.

Other Relatives:

- **Warren Mason** , 46 (by time of death in 1986)

*Stepfather to Michael; father to Stephen, Reginald, and Henry; paternal grandfather to the Mason kids.

**A harsh disciplinarian with a steel work ethic, which he passed along to Shane.

***Never met any of his grandchildren as he committed suicide a few years before Gavin's birth.

*Always had a strained relationship with his stepson, Michael, which only became worse after Robin passed away.

***His father was a Canadian soldier who was killed in action in World War II.

**Warren served in the Toronto Drug Squad for several years, leading a seeming exemplary career (one which would inspire his middle son, Reginald to follow him into law enforcement. However, he had his dark side that he preferred kept hidden.

- **Robin Hogart-Mason** , 40 (by time of death in 1982),

*Wife to Warren; mother to Michael, Shane. Reginald, and Henry.

*She was earlier involved in a relationship with another man, who then skipped out her when he found out that she was pregnant, leaving her to raise Michael by herself until she met Warren.

*A gentle woman and loving mother, she was a moderating influence on Warren's faults and often soothed his rages at their children. especially her eldest, Michael.

**Died when Michael was in his teens, and Shane and Reginald were in their preteens, leaving Gregory a single father.

- **Judy Lucas** , 50

*Ida and Fred's mother; Tommy's maternal grandmother.

**Lives in Toronto and is often visited by her family members.

***Quite testy towards Reginald, due to his fallout with Ida after Theodore's death. Though she is doting towards Tommy-and civil towards Melanie.

- **Fred Lucas** , 32

*Ida's older brother, uncle to Tommy, husband to Michelle. Went to Degrassi and graduated in the class of '86.

**During the afterward summer, he was assisting Ida during her separation with Reginald, including watching Theodore for her. One day, he was driving Theodore to his mother's house when he was struck by a car driven by a drunk driver. The collision left Theodore dead and Fred crippled.

Had an aspiring baseball career, which was cut short due to his injuries from the accident.

***Nowadays, Fred, mostly recovered from the accident (though still with a limp), lives near his mother and occasionally interacts with the Masons when they come to visit.

****On the surface seems a relaxed, affable fellow-but deep down has deep bitterness-especially towards the drunk driver and his ex-brother in law, Reginald.

- **Michelle Accette-Lucas** , 25

*Fred's wife; Ida's sister-in-law; Tommy's aunt-by-marriage.

**Works at a hospital as a nurse, which is how she met Fred when he was recovering from the drunk driver incident.

**Michelle and her husband have no children of their own, thus, they view Tommy as a sort of surrogate son.

- **Vanessa Brodie** , 50

*Mother to Melanie; grandmother to Millie and Dennis.

*Initially opposed Melanie's marriage to Reginald due to their age difference (of four years), but has now settled down.

**Still lives in Toronto. Melanie and her children visit her often.

- **Martin Brodie** , 50:

*Father of Melanie and ex-husband to Vivian; grandfather to Millie, and Dennis.

**Estranged from the family due to walking out on Melanie and her mom years ago, though he is trying to reestablish ties.

- **Carl Klein** , 78

*Miriam's father; Spinner's maternal grandfather.

**A proud Jew; he had to flee Germany as a child (alongside his parents) to escape the Nazis. Went on to volunteer into the Canadian Armed Forces and fought in WWII.

***Often frustrated in the disinterest his grandson has in his heritage.


	3. Characters: Kids

The Kids: the younger generation that will star in the main series

- **Jason 'Jay' Hogart** , 13 (born in 1986)-expelled in January 2005

*In a departure from canon, in this series, Jay will be related to Spinner, ie. being his older paternal cousin.

*Michael's son, a delinquent with a silver tongue. Due to his father's estrangement with his uncles, he has never met them or any of his cousins.

*Lost his mother at a young age.

*This series will place more focus on how his morality shifted.

- **Gavin 'Spinner' Mason** , 12 (born in 1987)-graduates in class of 2007

*Will mostly follow his storyline in the show, up to season nine, whereupon deviations will be made. However, there will be more focus upon his relationships with his family.

*Team manager of Degrassi's basketball team and the school bully, often being found picking on those smaller and weaker than him.

**Spinner does have some redeeming qualities, such as protectiveness over his younger sister and cousins.

***Has ADD, for which he takes Ritalin. Also, has insecurites about his weight, which he hides via his bullying image.

- **Thomas 'Tommy' Mason** , 11 (born in 1988)-graduates in class of 2008

*Son of Reginald; stepson of Melanie; older brother to Leanna and Dennis.

**A shy person, Tommy mostly stays withdrawn, except for when he's around family

***Was born as part of a pair of twins. However, his twin brother died at the hands of a drunk driver when he was two years old.

***Lives with his mother in Toronto, in a house that is walking distance from his Uncle Stephen's house, while his dad and younger siblings live in Hamilton (which he only comes to during holidays, birthdays, or the summer). Hence, he is much closer to his cousins than he is to either Millie or Dennis.

***Is torn up about the tension between his parents: he wishes to have a closer relationship with his father and views his stepmother Melanie as another motherly figure (even calling her 'mom' at times), but does not wish to upset his mother. Things come to a head when Reginald and his family move back to Toronto.

*Out of his friends, he would say he is closest to J.T. Yorke, due to them bonding over both having distant relationships with their fathers.

*Possible storylines include figuring out his sexuality and struggling to figure out what he wants to do with his life.

- **Kendra Mason** , 10 (born in 1989/adopted in 1992)-graduates in class of 2007 due to fast-tracking

*Spinner's adoptive younger sister, who is much more studious than her brother.

**Is very close to Tommy.

***Will have a larger role in this story than she did in the series, such as exploring the circumstances of how the Masons adopted her, so she will be staying around for when the story reaches the later seasons.

*the circumstances of her adoption in China by the Masons will cause trouble for the family later on (especially for her uncle, the police officer Reginald).

- **Leanna 'Lea' Mason** , 7 (born in 1993)-graduates in class of 2011

*Reginald's daughter with Melanie. It was her conception (during her mother's senior year at high school) that prompted Melanie to get married to Reginald.

**Looks up to her older brother and close to her father.

*Hopes to become a cheerleader one day.

*Takes some time to adjust to the move from Hamilton to Toronto.

*Will join the Power Squad when she comes to Degrassi.

- **Sarah Mason** , 6 (born in 1994)-graduates in class of 2012

*Daughter of Henry and Kathleen; younger cousin to Tommy; godsister to Leanna and Dennis (whom she's close to due to their closeness in age)

**Wishes to one day become a journalist like her mom

*Inspired by the show character, Hannah Belmont, and will share her relationship with Wesley.

- **Dennis 'Denny/Den' Mason** , 5 (born in 1995)-graduates in class of 2013

*Reginald's son with Melanie. Born in Hamilton, he has, before the move to Toronto, rarely interacted with his Uncle Stephen's branch of the family, usually via phone calls, cards, or visits.

**The youngest of the Mason kids, he is to go to a local elementary school.

***Has symptoms of Aspergers' Syndrome.

*His parentage (specifically, the possibility that Reginald is not his biological father) has caused rows in the family in the past.

*Has insomnia and a fear of heights, particularly flying in planes.

- **Theodore Mason** , 2 (at time of death) (born in 1988)

*Twin brother of Thomas. Died when he was a toddler when a drunk driver struck the car his uncle Fred was driving him in.

*Though long deceased, he still affects the story in how the family is still mourning (and still affected) by his passing.


End file.
